Society’s need for a broad array of talent has never been more urgent.
The confluence of a pandemic, severe unemployment, and racial injustice has exposed the daunting challenges ahead. Yet overcoming such challenges is what has made our nation successful. Quality of life as measured by income, civic participation, and personal well-being is highest among those with a college degree or other credential of value and lowest among those with a high school diploma or less. As human work evolves to require broader knowledge, skills, and abilities, the rewards for individuals with talent signified by possessing these credentials will only increase. Conversely, those without credentials beyond high school will face a declining quality of life and a downward spiral in their financial and social well-being.